On the Streets of Shenzhen China

My calloused heart, soul, and mind are obsessed with the memory of a man, whose name I will never know. Our eyes once locked on a human being jam-packed soiled street in Shenzhen, China. There were no words between us, as we both gawked at each other. At the time, I had no idea this seconds long encounter, would change my perspective on life forever.

We were in a part of Shenzhen, where news of executives and sightseers being robbed and kidnapped, are not exceptional reports in Hong Kong newspapers. Some say it is a lawless place, comparable to the old days in Wild West. It has an element of modern day treachery, with pickpockets and con artists in full force.

The millions of people and the gangs (syndicates) who live Shenzhen, which is one of the world's fastest growing cities, make the rules. This is not to say Shenzhen isn't modern, exciting, and a wonderful place to visit. It is all of both, and more.

Here, as in any place in the world, including the United States, you see pockets of heart wrenching poverty. As a veteran international traveler, I am not easily shocked. I've seen extreme poverty and even in Central Florida we deal daily with the homeless and begging (although we refer to it as panhandling).

Nor, am I unusually sympathetic or not compassionate to the homeless, knowing the issues of homelessness are endlessly complicated, no matter where you travel or live. There are no easy answers to global poverty and the plight of the homeless.

• Until 1979, this was once a sleeping fishing village with less than 20,000 residents, close in proximity to Hong Kong. It now has over, 4.7 million residents.
• It is China's major financial center and home to the Shenzen Stock Exchange.
• It is the second busiest port in China, second only to Shanghai.
• Major tourist attractions: (1) Window of the World; (2) Happy Valley; (3) Splendid China; (4) Shekou; and Minsk World.
• The difference between the rich and the poor in this city is one of the world's most shocking.
• Average age of residents -- 30!
• This area of China is fenced off and immigration is strictly enforced.

In Shenzhen, drug addict mothers approach foreign visitors, begging for money while toting half-alive, belly swollen babies, with limp sausage thin arms. Starving children looking very much like in ads run by charitable organizations fighting global poverty. If you give anything to these women, it is not likely you'll be helping the child and it is likely that you'll be targeted for robbery in certain sections of this city. None of this is what the Chinese government wants for outsiders to see, especially with the upcoming Olympics activities.

If you stay in the tourist areas, you'll see less of this. However, as you make your way down certain streets littered with trash, mucked by gum and tobacco spit, beggars reach out from their sidewalk seats, silently extending their begging bowls. Among the throngs of people, you notice whole families in roofed lean-to shelters against buildings, that serve as their both their homes and places of business. The elderly gesture with their hands to their mouths and then hold their hands out, indicating they are hungry. All of this can immensely hurt your heart.

Throughout Asia, there are many beggars with wounded or amputated feet, hands, or arms, making it grim to ignore them. Surprisingly, a percentage of them are professional beggars. Even more disheartening, is the knowledge that there is a large element of "professional beggars," to be found everywhere in the world, not just in Shenzhen.

In parts of China, sadly, some of these wounds are self-inflicted. Far worse, the observant traveler will be taken aback, when realizing that able-bodied men accompany some beggars. You'll notice they'll be sitting a distance away, while the amputees beg. These amputee beggars and their keepers are part of organized gangs and syndicates working together.

In Shenzhen, at all times, you are tremendously aware, that every Asian mind around you, is actively witnessing any exchange in human understanding. More importantly, as a Westerner, you absolutely know that any gesture of compassion, paints a bulls-eye of potential theft and victimization upon you. So you learn, sometimes the hard way, that even though life has been cruel to them, as a foreigner in a far away land, you generally don't or shouldn't give to beggars.

Before our eyes locked, I stared at him as he inched along on his forearms down the sidewalk, just ahead of us. He seemingly never looked up. Yet, the moment anyone came parallel to him, he bowed his head ever closer to the sidewalk, and stretched out his begging cup.

The stumps of his legs that had been amputated just at the knee, weren't particularly shocking. However, the remaining back portions of his upper thighs had been savagely gnawed upon, no doubt by either feral dogs or the city rats. Large infected, oozing, and visibly bleeding chunks of his flesh hung from the missing portions. Neither years of working in a medical center, nor even the most graphic of U.S. medical reality shows could have prepared my eyes for his doomed truth. I forced myself to avert my eyes and hurried along towards my destination, as did everyone else on that busy sidewalk.

It was over three years ago that the visual image of this unfortunate soul touched me. I couldn't help him that day because of the neighborhood I was in and how far I had to travel to get out of it.

I could not help him then. I cannot help him now. It doesn't matter how he came to be in that condition. That brief encounter with this stranger was a pivotal point in my understanding of how I really felt about global poverty. It was one that will last my entire life. It has brought me to a full comprehension, that no matter what problems my daily life might bring - I have choices and the ability to exercise them in ways that he, and the other human tragedies around him and in this world don't.

Therefore, since that encounter, whenever I struggle with life obstacles, worries, and problems - I remind myself how lucky I am to be alive. I reflect upon how blessed we are to have choices in how to solve life's problems. Lastly, I think of him, this stranger whose name I'll never know, and I whisper 'xie xie' (thank you in Chinese) and say a prayer for him and all of those just like him.

Perhaps the most heart breaking sight of all, is that of child beggars. Some of these very young children are taught to be a beggar. There will usually be an adult or older child sitting somewhere nearby that they bring the money to.

Some of them have been taught to grab onto your legs, while crying out to you. Some will actually try to reach in your pockets. Others stand quietly with cups and begging bowls pleading with their eyes. Still, in other areas, you can find youself surrounded by hoards of small children all begging simultaneously.

What becomes of them? Do they ever escape this lifestyle? Is there any solution for them?

Perhaps one of the most shocking sights to Western visitors, is the reality of elderly beggars throughout China. I've never encountered a lot of them. Generally, if they don't have family who can take care of them, there really isn't the infrastructure in place to assume this role.

However, you'll see many elderly picking up trash, cardboard, and recyclables. Sometimes you see them, along with the disabled cleaning the parks and streets.Usually, above the the recycling centers are dormitory type areas where they live at night.

I don't know about anyone else, but I have a tremendous sadness whenever I encounter poverty stricken elderly both here and abroad.

In China, like other rapidly developing countries, beggars are a reality. Due to China's extreme population, it is more obvious there. Now, with the tragedy of recent earthquake, there are so many people in need in China. So many that may not have any choice but to beg.

The gap between the rich and the poor is tremendously magnified compared to that of other countries -- and this problem is only growing. I believe the attitudes towards beggars and begging, reflect us as a society and mirror what is happening today within our hearts and minds.

There is an attitude among the locals that there would be no beggars if no one gave them anything. This is particularly a true sentiment among the young professions working so very hard in China to better themselves. Their hearts are sometimes hardened towards those with begging bowls.

Living in Central Florida, I can understand this. Here, we have hoards of homeless men, a majority of which, who simply chose panhandling as a lifestyle. Perhaps they are unwilling to change, give up their freedom, are mentally ill, or are ill from drugs and alcohol. You get tired of them harassing you at stop lights and outside of Wal-marts.

We all want to help those so less fortunate than us, but this not an easy topic to address. For some that you will encounter, the answer is a "no brainer" you give what you can. You don't look away or step around them.

This is my rule -- If they are disabled, elderly, or children and the location that you come across them is somewhat safe, then give them what money you can. Deliberately carry some small amounts of money. always keeping it separate from your wallet or purse for this purpose.

Additionally, for some of them, even if you suspect that they aren't truly in need and may be posing as panhandlers -- do the same. It's better to error on the side of doing what's right, regardless of who ends up with the bulk of the money earned at the end of the day.

It's not about them, it's about you and how you view your role in this world. I think along the lines of, if someone had to stoop to the level of pretending to be poor and use a begging bowl -- it might not really be about choices.

Is the answer here and abroad, government programs? We've certainly been dealing with the issues of homelessness for decades here in the U.S. Is it any better than it was in 1970s when Mitch Snyder and Carole Finnley (Community for Creative Non-Violence) were making headlines? Perhaps, it is worse. This isn't Shenzen problem, this isn't China's problem - the plight of the homeless and poverty belongs to the world.

Bottom Line -- There Has to be a Better Way!